Thursday, February 27, 2025, 7:59PM |  46°
MENU
Advertisement
The Russian variation in the second act of
3
MORE

How 'The Nutcracker' came to be a beloved holiday ballet

Moscow Ballet

How 'The Nutcracker' came to be a beloved holiday ballet

Before “The Nutcracker” was a beloved holiday ballet, it was a German fairy tale short on sugarplums.

In 1816, German author E.T.A. Hoffmann wrote a 14-chapter story called “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” While many key characters are similar, their adventures take a darker turn than in the ballet. There’s talk of blood and beheadings and lots of names you won’t find in most stage versions. 

French writer Alexandre Dumas, who penned “The Three Musketeers,” later revised Hoffmann’s version to make it the light-hearted story of a girl’s favorite toy coming to life and whisking her away on a fantastical adventure.

Advertisement

In 1891, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, the director of Moscow’s Imperial Theatres, commissioned choreographer Marius Petipa to create a ballet inspired by Dumas’ adaptation of the story. It was set to the Tchaikovsky score that remains a staple of the ballet to this day. It premiered in December 1892 in the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. 

Ballerinas of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dance during a rehearsal of 'The Nutcracker' on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, at the Benedum Center in Downtown.
Jane Vranish
How Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's 'Nutcracker' measures up to others across the country

It received lackluster reviews at first. 

“‘The Nutcracker’ cannot in any event be called a ballet. It does not satisfy even one of the demands made of a ballet,” one said, according to a BBC account of the ballet’s history. It also was picked apart for its minimal technical rigor and loose story. It’s just “a series of unconnected scenes,” an early critic said.

“The Nutcracker” wasn’t performed outside of Russia until 1934, when it was staged in England. San Francisco Ballet was the first company to stage it in the U.S. in 1944. Its popularity in America didn’t pick up until after George Balanchine’s version for New York City Ballet debuted a decade later. Its iconic score, creative adaptations and whimsical sets are commonly credited as reasons it’s remained a must-see holiday show for many U.S. families in the 21st century.

Advertisement

Sara Bauknecht: sbauknecht@post-gazette.com or on Twitter and Instagram @SaraB_PG.

First Published: November 26, 2018, 1:00 p.m.

RELATED
Sara Bauknecht
Nutcrackers: Hip hop, circus tricks add spice to a holiday favorite
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Arthur Smith walks off the field after losing to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Ravens won 28-14.
1
sports
Joe Starkey: Was Steelers GM Omar Khan kidding with his Arthur Smith comments?
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, left, and general manager Omar Khan stand on the field before an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Pittsburgh.
2
sports
2025 NFL salary cap is up to $279 million. Here's what that means for the Steelers
Mayor Ed Gainey, left, shakes Police Chief Larry Scirotto’s hand after a news conference regarding the recent release of the staffing report for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in the North Side.
3
news
PG Politics: Ripple effects of former Pittsburgh police chief's abrupt retirement
Kevin Colbert congratulates Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers beat the Jaguars 20-16 on Nov. 18, 2018, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
4
sports
Brian Batko's Steelers mailbag: How similar is this QB situation to the 2021 predicament?
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) dives for a first down against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in the North Shore. The Cincinnati Bengals won 19-17.
5
sports
Steelers talking with Najee Harris' representation at NFL combine
The Russian variation in the second act of "Great Russian Nutcracker" by Moscow Ballet. "The Nutcracker" premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892.  (Moscow Ballet)
The Dove of Peace scene is a signature part of the Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker."  (Moscow Ballet)
Masha (or Marie) in "Great Russian Nutcracker" by Moscow Ballet, which has toured throughout North America for the past 25 years.  (Moscow Ballet)
Moscow Ballet
Advertisement
LATEST ae
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story